KIEV, Nov. 26 – The strengthening of the hryvnia exchange rate will continue at least until late 2009, according to experts polled by Interfax-Ukraine.

According to the director of the financial markets department at Finance and Credit Bank, Andriy Voitenko, the hryvnia exchange rate could strengthen to UAH 7.60-7.80/$1 before the start of the presidential election.

"The UAH 7.60-7.80/$1 could be reached before the election, ahead of any measures for the stabilization of the currency exchange market by the new NBU team, which will come after the election and the formation of the new government... My annual forecast is UAH 6.80/$1 (Q3, 2010)," the expert said.